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The Western Australian Herbarium’s collections management system and census were set to read-only mode on 1 October 2025. Taxonomic updates published since this time are not being reflected in Florabase, herbarium collections, or Western Australia’s taxonomic names census (Nomos). Conservation listings displayed on Florabase may also be out of date. Please refer to DBCA’s Threatened species and communities webpage for the most recent Threatened and Priority Flora List, noting that recent taxonomic updates are similarly not included. Our database migration is moving to a staging phase. We thank you for your patience as we ensure the integrity of our biodiversity data, develop new workflows, and train staff to use the new systems. Please reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

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Melanothamnus quadratus (Hollenb.) Huisman

Reference
Algae of Australia: Marine Benthic Algae of North-western Australia, 2. Red Algae 547 (2018)
Conservation Code
Not threatened
Naturalised Status
Native to Western Australia
Name Status
Current

Scientific Description

Habit and structure. Thallus to 4 mm tall, rusty brown, with a limited prostrate axis and sparse erect axes. Attachment rhizoids unicellular with digitate ends, occasionally saccate, pit-connected to the pericentral cells of prostrate axes. Prostrate axes to 170 µm diam. [segment L:B 0.3–0.5]. Erect branches 100–160 µm diam. [segment L:B 0.2–0.5], becoming shorter near apices. Axes with 4 pericentral cells, ecorticate. Trichoblasts/scar cells arising at irregular intervals, often in displaced pairs on subsequent segments, but then with 6–8 naked segments.

Reproduction. Spermatangia in cylindrical heads forming as 1 branch of a basal dichotomy of trichoblasts, 140–200 µm long, 50–70 µm diam., lacking a sterile apical cell. Other reproductive structures not observed.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality and a single collection from the northern Kimberley, north-western Australia.

Habitat. epiphytic.

[After J.M. Huisman in Algae of Australia: Marine Benthic Algae of North-western Australia, 2. Red Algae: 547 (2018)]